Fireflies and Ghosts
by ellone-xi
Summary: hello!!! I'm new here!! Enishi's jinchuu is coming, Kenshin decided to leave to save his friends at least from Enishi's wrath especially Kaoru... Kaoru tried to stop him, but can she? R&R please!!! one-shot fic!


Disclaimers:

I do not own rurouni kenshin… I'm just a pitiful girl who loves it so much… rurouni kenshin is a property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and sony and others related to them… I'm just borrowing them for fun… so don't sue me…. 

Oh, and people… R&R please!!! I'm new here so please don't be too harsh on me… 

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FIREFLIES and GHOSTS 

Cool breeze. It's a tranquil night. The moon is gleaming its golden light over Tokyo prettily. 

            It's been days since we arrived in Japan from Shanghai. From Osaka, we went to Kyoto to visit something.

            Upon arriving there, I can't hold back my smile. There were flowers. After 10 years, he came back. I thought he had already forgotten me. 

            Huh!! Who was that? Somebody who just came out from a dojo interrupted my musings. 

            That dojo became my brother's interest since we arrived here in Tokyo. He seems interested not with its property but with the people living there. 

            She looks pale. I wonder what happened. 

            So I decided to go inside the room where she just came from before she went outside to look for a clue on what happened. 

            I flew and entered the room through its wall and I found a folded paper on the floor. It seems like a letter. 

            Oh, of course how could I read it? I could barely touch things like this. Just then, a gust of wind blew as if it heard what just I said; it blew the paper and opened it for me.

_'Kaoru-dono._

_            I have a few things to talk with you. Remember the fireflies? Please meet me there again tonight._

                        Kenshin' 

            Fireflies…

            Just then the door suddenly opened. I was about to hide when I remembered that she couldn't see me. 

            She must be Kaoru. I've already heard many things about her from my brother when they had some meetings with his comrades. I wonder what they were planning. 

            She's pretty. The yellow kimono that she wears and the red ribbon that was used to tie her hair suit her so much. 

            She just glanced at the paper on the floor and ran through her drawer. Her hands reached for it and slid it open. There's a dagger inside. She took it and placed it at the back of her orange obi. 

            "Just in case something happened. Sano told me to be extra careful and always be ready to defend myself. He told me situations would be getting worst after the destruction of the Akabeko. Maybe that's what Kenshin wanted to tell me about tonight."

            I heard her whisper to herself. She quietly walked out of the room. But before she slid the door close…she smelled my scent.

"White plum…just when did my room started to smell white plum. Nevermind…must be my imagination."

            She shook her head and slid the door close. 

            I'll go after her.

            Kaoru closed the gates and spotted a nearby stall selling paper lanterns. She sure forgot to bring one. She bought one and hurriedly went to their meeting place.

"Kenshin…gomen…I'm late. I've just read your letter."

Kaoru said panting while holding the paper lantern.

"No need to be sorry Kaoru-dono. It's okay. What is important is that you're here now."

He said smiling.

He has changed a lot.

"Fireflies. They're still pretty, aren't they? I can still remember that day when you bade me goodbye before leaving for Kyoto. I wish that won't happen again, ne Kenshin?"

Kaoru said smiling while staring at the sparkling tiny creatures, then turning to the red-haired swordsman that went silent for a while. After some moments…

"Kaoru-dono, I'm afraid it will."

Kenshin said bowing his head to avoid her stare.

Kaoru's eyes widened.

"Ken..shin…no…what do you mean…'it will'?"

Her eyes almost in tears.

"Kaoru-dono… the destruction of the Akabeko. I'm already expecting something like that to happen. I can't allow something like that to happen again. And if I were not mistaken, the next target would be the Kamiya Dojo. I don't want you all to be involved here… I don't want my past to hurt even one of my friends. Especially you…"

Kenshin said his back at Kaoru.

"No…you're trying to leave us again. We have gone a little far. We have gone so many hardships. Whatever will happen to you, we wanted to help you. We are your family remember?"

Kaoru said in tears tightening her grip on the handle of the paper lantern.

"Yes you are my family. Remember, I'll protect you? And my leaving is one part of protecting you. I can't risk your life… please understand."

Kenshin said walking towards Kaoru. He was about to hug her when she resisted.

"No Kenshin… I won't understand."

"Kaoru-dono… someone has a great grudge on me. He wanted revenge. Please listen."

"No… I won't listen."

She said shaking her head crying. Kenshin's hands still on her shoulders.

He gently shook her and said,

" Kaoru-dono, you are his main target. My presence around you will endanger your life. I won't forgive myself if something happened to you again… Please understand… and leaving the dojo will save your life."

" I don't care if I die… as long as you won't leave me."

He suddenly hugged her and whispered.

"I'll regret it for the rest of my life if something happens to you again because of me. Just remember that I'm doing this to protect you."

He lifted her chin and gazed at her blue eyes full of tears and gently wiped them away.

"Please be careful…take care of yourself. I am a wanderer, I'll just go wandering again and face my past that's haunting me. It's been fun being with you. Please tell everyone it's been fun."

He let go of her and turned his back.

He started to walk away slowly.

Kaoru was shocked… She can't move for a while, until he heard him whisper, "Aishiteru."

"Ai…shiteru? Ken..shin?"

She fell to her knees letting go of the paper lantern from her hand. The lantern fell on the ground and the paper started to burn. 

Fireflies started to gather around the burning paper.

I suddenly saw Koaru reaching for the dagger that she hid at the back of her obi,

She held it pointing to her chest and whispered,

"Kenshin… I can't leave without you… Sayonara… Aishiteru…"

Then she struck herself with the dagger.

A slight scream was heard.

"Sayo…nara" Kaoru fell on her stomach trying to reach Kenshin's hakama. Blood started to flow out of her, staining her yellow kimono.

Fireflies flew above her.

"Sayo…nara!? Kaoru-dono!?"

Kenshin felt the slight touch of Kaoru's hand on her hakama and heard her slight scream as if in pain. He stopped and was afraid to turn around on what he might see… 

He slowly turned around and was shocked. Her yellow kimono was almost red because of her blood. He hurriedly reached for her making the fireflies to fly away.

Kenshin almost in tears fell on his knees and placed Kaoru on his lap.

"Ken..shin.." She said smiling with weak voice catching her breath. She raised her right hand and touched Kenshin's face with her gentle palm.

"Kaoru… why did you that?"

He said reaching her right hand on his face and then he pressed it lovingly.

Kaoru smiled and catch her breath.

"Kenshin… Aishiteru…"

"Kaoru… Aishiteru… koishii… hold on …onegai."

"Ken…"

She tried to say his name for the last time but she can't… Her left hand that holds the dagger suddenly fell from it as life leave her young body. Kenshin is still holding her right hand on his face.

"Kaoru!?…koishii!?"

He lifted her head and buried it on his chest. His tears running non stop on his cheeks.

Then he screamed…

"KAORU!!!"

Fireflies that were flying around them were startled and flew a little distant from them.

He eyed the dagger that fell from her hand and took it. He suddenly pointed it on his chest and whispered.

"There's no more reason for me to live.

Enishi, I hoped my death would satisfy you.

Tomoe, I know you're there. I can smell white plum. I hoped you'd already forgiven me. I'm looking forward in seeing you again."

He gazed up at the sky and saw the clouds moving towards the moon to hide it.

Then he struck himself.

Kenshin…

I just smiled… I'd already forgiven you… Please be happy with her… I'll stay here for a while with my brother…

Kenshin fell on his side with Kaoru still in his embrace.

The clouds passed through the moon and revealed again its gleaming light.

"Noooo!!!! My jinchuu!!! I didn't planned this. I want him to suffer more!!!"

Enishi… 

"Sister! Why are you smiling!? You shouldn't!! He doesn't deserve that death! He's happy… I am the only one who has the right to kill him… with my own hands!!!"

I flew towards him and hugged him even though he can't feel my touch.

Fireflies flew back on the lifeless bodies of the two lovers beside a burning paper lantern that is starting to be extinguished.

Just then, two ghosts with their hands fingers linked together flew towards the golden light of the moon and started to disappear.

Please be happy…

Fireflies flew endlessly almost dancing, like celebrating for the two lovers' ghosts…

            End…

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Please tell me your thoughts about this!!! Don't be too harsh okay…

**_ellone-xi_**

kawaii_ellone_011@yahoo.com


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